Rotary valve for internal-combustion engines



Feb. 19, 1929.

R. .L. DANFORD ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Aug 2'7, 192'! INVENTOR. fl. flaw/6 BY A TTORNE Y.

Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES RODNEY L. DANFORDQ OF MIDDLEBRANCH, OHIO.

ROTARY VALVE FOR I NTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed August 27, 1927. Serial No. 215,890. 7

This invention is directed to an improvev nient in rotary valves for internal combustion engines, wherein a single valveis arranged to control the inlet to all cylinders,

and another single valve is arranged to control the exhaust from all cylinders.

The present invention has for its ob]ec t the utilization of a single inlet port and a single exhaust port for each of adjacent pairs of 10 cylinders, and the provision of a valve unit formed with ofl'set channels arranged diagonally of the axis of the valve unit and so disposed that their inlet ends cooperate successively with a single fuel inlet while their outlet ends cooperate in timed order with different cylinders, the arrangement being maintained on both the inlet and exhaust sides of the cylinders.

The invention is illustrated in the accom- Q panying drawings, in which:

Figu'l is a perspective view of sutficient of an internal combustion engine to illustrate the positions and relations of the valves, the engine being shown in outline.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through one valve and its casing, the ports being shown to admit fuel to a particular cylinder.

Figs. 3, 4, and 5, are similar views, showing the successive positions, respectively, of the valve for controlling the admission of fuel to the remaining cylinders.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse section through the casing and valve.

Fig. 7 is a plan of the packing.

Fig. 8 is a plan of the spring.

The internal combustion engine, which aside from the details hereinafter referred to, may be of any desired construction, is indicated generally at 1, and includes theusual cylinder-block, head, and manifolds (not shown). p

Valve casings 2 and 3 are arranged lengthwise the block, on opposite sides and above the cylinders, the casing 2 being the inlet casing and the casing 3 the exhaust casing. These casings, which are identical in construction, are made in two sections, and while preferably square in external outline are divided on diagonal lines, as at 4, to permit their convenient assemblage or disconnection, and the necessary access to the valves.

In connection with a four-cylinder engine, as illustrated, the casings are formed with but two inlets, 5 and 6, so that the fuel delivered from the manifold will pass through a sin gle inlet, as 5, for the first two cylinders, and through a single inlet, as 6, for the last two cylinders. This arrangement equalizes to a great extent the distance of flow of the incoming gases and insures of fuel .delivery to each cylinder at the same point of cylinder position, and thus avoids the difficulty of differences in fuel travel from the carburetter to the respective cylinders. This arrangement isthe same for the exhaust casing, providing for a better scavenging of the cylinders, though the exhaust casing, being identical with the inlet casing, is not specifically shown.

formed to provide a true circular bore 7 to accurately receive and. permit desired operation ofrthe valve proper. A Valve body 8 is arranged within and completely fills the bore 7. This valve body is of course cylindrical in transverse section, and its ends are reduced in diameter to provide bearing pintles 9, arranged to project through openings in the otherwise closed ends of thecasing, and suit- The interior of the casings 2 and 3 are able form of bearings being provided if dea sired.

The valve body, or valve as it will be hereinafter termed, is formed with valve passages corresponding in number with the number of cylinders to be served. These valve passages, four in the present instance, as at 10, 11, 12, and13, are arranged diagonal to both the longitudinal and transverse, axes of the valve, and each has an inlet end, as 14,

to register with the casing inlet; and anoutlet end 15 to register with a particular cylinder. The valve passages or ports are arranged in a particular manner, in that the respective end ports 10 and 13 extend through the valve on parallel lines with their inlet and outlet ends respectively-aligned longitudlinally of the Valve. The intermediate ports, as 11 and 12, are similarly disposed being, however, at right angles to. the end ports 10 and 13. The inlet ends 14 of ports 10 and 11, however, are disposed in the same plane transversely of the valve taken at right angles to the longitudinal axis, this being also true of the inlet ends 14 of the ports 12 and 13. The outlet ends 15 of the ports 10 and 11, are spaced longitudinally of the valve,,the outlet ends of ports 12 and 13 being similarly spaced.

The valve casings having openings 16, 17, 18, and 19, leading to the respective cylinders, and the outlet ends of the respective ports are and operates similarly to that of the inlet valve, are operated and properly timed by mechanism including a sprocket 20 on each forward or rear pintle 9, and a driving sprocket 21 on the crank-shaft of the engine.

A chain 22 passes over these sprockets, and the relation of the parts is such that the valves operate in'proper timing to supply and exhaust the cylinders, as is well understood.

If desired, and as preferred, the casing inlets 5 and 6 and the outlets 16, 17, 18, and 19 may have suitable packing to insure against leakage at these points. This packing may consist in recessing the innerfsideof the valve casing about the inlet or outlet, as at 23, placing a packing'member 24therein to bear on the surface of the valve, and inserting in each recess and the packing member a spring-pressuie element 25 to maintain the packing memher in proper contact with the valve. The

ports are here shown as rectangular in cross section, the casing inlets and outlets being similarly shaped, and in this event the pack ing components will of course be of similar shape.

The respective positions of the inlet valve is shown in Figs.- 2, 3, fl, and 5. In Fig. 2, the port 10 isin register with the casing inlet 5 and with theoutlet 16, thus supplying fuel to the first cylinder. In this position it will be noted that the port 13 is parallel to port 10, but as the inlet and outlet ends of this port 13 are reversed there is no fuel flow there through. In Fig. 3, the valve has made a quarter revolution, and port 11 is now in reg istry with the same inlet 5, but with the outlet 17 leading to the second cylinder. In Fig. 4, the valve having made another quarter revolution has moved the port 13 so'that its inlet registers with the opening 6 in the casing and its outlet with the opening 19, leading to the last cylinder; while in Fig. 5, the port 12 has its inlet end in registry with the casing inlet opening 6 and its outlet in registry with the casing outlet .18, supplying cylinder three. This establishes a firing order of the respective cylinders .1, 2, 4:, and 3. Of course the exhaust valve is similarly operated, exhausting the proper cylinder in accordance with the firing order provided, there being no necessity of specifically describing this exhaust operation.

' The particular valve is easily manufactured and maintained leakage proof, for each pair of valve ports, as 10 and 13 on the one hand and 11. and 12 on the other hand are formed inparallel relation, opening through the valve in alinement, but requiring a relative reverse position for service. That is the inlet end of one port of each pair is diametrically opposite the inlet end of the other port of the pair. Thus during operation of the valve it is impossible that any inlet or outlet of a particular port will pass any casing opening until positioned for service. This insures a particularly tight valve, Without end sealing, and further permits easy and economical construction, as the ports may be formed without changing tools or valve position. 5

Having thus described the invention, 'what' is claimed as new, is

In a valve for use in multi-cylinder engines, a valve casing formed with an outlet opening leading to each cylinder and formed with a plurality of inlet openings, each inlet opening serving two outlet openings, and a valve mounted for rotation in the casing and formed with a pair of ports therethrough in each of two right angled diametric positions of the valve, the ports of eachcpair being in parallelism and inclined to the longitudinal and transverse axis of the valve, the respective ports of a pair cooperating with differ ent inlets and different outlets of the valve casing at'intervals indicated by a half revolution of the valve, the valves of one pair being arranged between the valves of the other pair and at directly opposite inclination to the valves of such other pair, eachpair of. ports opening through the surface of the valve in direct longitudinal alignment axially of the valve.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

.RODNEY L. DANroRD; 

